Spall snags ‘Snicket’ Poe

'Samurai,' 'Potter' thesp joins Silberling-helmed pic

Brit thesp Timothy Spall has joined Jim Carrey, Meryl Streep and Jude Law on Par/DreamWorks’ “Lemony Snicket: A Series of Unfortunate Events.”

Spall will portray Mr. Poe, the ineffectual guardian of the three Baudelaire orphans who are the central characters of the film. Lensing on “Snicket,” directed by Brad Silberling, is due to start Monday in Los Angeles for a holiday 2004 release.

Spall will appear in next month’s release of Warner’s “The Last Samurai,” playing the translator for Tom Cruise’s character, and next summer will be seen as Pettigrew in “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.” He’s repped in the U.K. by Markham and Froggatt and in the U.S. by Hofflund Polone.

“Snicket,” based on Daniel Handler “Series of Unfortunate Events” children’s book series, is being produced by Walter Parkes, Laurie MacDonald, Albie Hecht and Julia Pistor. Robert Gordon has rewritten a script originally done by Handler.